Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb 2004

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 Group Photos

Here is a collection of group photos usually showing all of the group. Text will get periodically updated, so please remember to "refresh" you browser page from time to time.

Visiting the KVEP school. This is exactly where your donation is going.
Although there are some roads in the area, most passages are actually simple dirt paths. This was how we got to the school from our hotel. (missing me, Brian)
This is the actual sight where your donation is paying for a new Nursery School to be built. This Nursery construction has already started (March 2003).
This is our group after the entire school sang to us and gave us flower necklaces just prior to our "Thank you" lunch. (Last year's 2002 project built the large building in the rear which houses a vital community computer facility on the finished main floor.)
Climbing Kilimanjaro.
This is the Day 1 start of the trail. We took a longer, 6 day, route that started on the north side's Rongai Gate. We were all about to start our journey into the unknown.
Again, on Day 1. This was our first group rest. Having walked through a rather large area that had been logged, we were now enjoying the true mountain forests.
Yet again, on Day 1. Arriving at our first camp. We were all very happy to find our camp already set up and diner being cooked. Our porters had long since passed us and had ample time to prepare for our arrival.
The beginning of Day 3, similar to Day 2 had the group steadily climbing up the mountain's north slope. The trees gradually got smaller, became big bushes, then became scatted small bushes. (missing me, Brian)
As we continued to climb on Day 3, we could eventually see our future routing up the mountain. Day 3 camp would be at a small pond at 4330m on the sides of a sub-peak of Kilimanjaro called Mawenzi. Kibo Hut at 4703m, in the distance, would allow for acclimatization on Day 4.
Day 4 had us all walking "The Saddle" between Mawenzi and Kilimanjaro's Kibo Hut at 4703m. This was a rather long barren trek in the cold cloudy mountain air. (missing me, Brian)
The Summit.
In the early morning hours of Day 5, the group (missing Jim) reached Gillman's Point. At 5685m you are very high and get a Kilimanjaro Certificate, as you are considered to have "climbed the mountain". (In fact, you are well above the Everest Base Camp.)
This group shot (missing Jim) recognizes Jim's hard efforts to reach the top. Having been overcome by altitude sickness only hours previous, the group shows solidarity around a sign showing his name.
This is the group shot of us at the actual summit (missing Jim, John, Pat, & Nick). Half of us managed the extra one and a half hours to Uhura Peak at 5895m or 19,330 ft.
Last day.
This is our last group photo (missing Jim) on our last day. It was just beneath the Horombo Hut Camp at 3720m.
This is the "Big" group photo. It has most all our guides and porters at the Marangu Hotel during our Certificate Award Ceremony (at 1300m, it is still on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, but below the park boundary)
Our group (missing me, Brian) enjoying beers as the sun went down looking at the Kilimanjaro peak.

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